Ishai glanced at her, wiping at her eyes in embarrassment. "Lord Ash just implied we might have to evacuate....I don't want to leave here..."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
That made one of them. Ky looked at her sympathetically. “I’m sure you’ll be able to stay with your mom either way.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"It's not just that! I have friends here. And the books..." She clutched her volume to her. "What if the gods destroy Serpent Keep?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Not much we can do to stop them.” Ky shrugged. When had she gotten this harsh? Had Aleth really stripped her of every last bit of empathy she ever had? Turned her into someone cruel enough not to comfort someone so clearly distraught, just because she was angry and scared herself. “May as well let them have it. It’s stupid to stay here and wait for the gods to get around to smiting us.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"But I can't just leave here!" She got to her feet. "I have to find my mother!"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
That seemed nice, too. Not like Ky would know what it was like to have a mother to run to. Ky looked at her more coldly than she meant to. “I’m not sure we’re allowed to leave.” She certainly wasn’t anyhow.
(Wow she turned into an asshole what even happened)
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(Ky, honey, positive character development is the other way.)
"I don't care. I'm going." She ran off.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky watched her go. Without trying to stop her or comfort her. Gods. She was being an asshole. Why was she like this?
But, then, why shouldn’t she be? Every single thing was wrong in her world. And everyone was acting like she was being melodramatic. They all said she was allowed to have emotions, but it seemed like that was only true when her emotions aligned with the ones they wanted her to have. She wasn’t allowed to want to stay alive. Wasn’t allowed to want to die. And where did that leave her?
Bitter.
It left her bitter.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sara shifted out of the crowd of people to look for Ky. Regulus was crying; the noise was aggravating him.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
(Haha imagine Ky lasting more than twenty minutes of being an asshole before she starts crying)(she’d be Megamind)
Maybe this was what the gods wanted, too. Maybe this is what she was always meant to be. They were just stripping away her mask. Exposing what she’d always known was underneath. At least had always known since Aleth showed it to her. If they wanted her to die angry, she might just oblige them. Hopefully soon.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
(Poor kiddo) (At least he has supportive convict dads)
She spotted her in a corner and started pushing towards her.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky glared at the ground in front of her feet, leaning against the wall. Whatever. She didn’t even care anymore. Didn’t even care enough to try to make her escape. She’d just dissociate til she was allowed to leave and snarl at anyone who tried to interact with her until they left her alone. Like she belonged.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Ky?" Sara had reached her. "Sorry I didn't speak to you earlier, dear. Are you alright?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky flinched a little, startled that Sara had snuck up on her. Even though she’d been making no attempts whatsoever to survey her surroundings. What was the point in that, either? She couldn’t be bothered to care if someone was coming to hurt her, which usually fueled her hyper-vigilance.
But Sara wasn’t going to hurt her. At least not intentionally.
“I’m fine.” She didn’t even attempt a smile.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"You...don't look fine. Is it too crowded in here?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
I wonder if people felt the freedom in our culture to love louder, if they'd be quicker to say "I miss you" when the absence of someone is felt instead of just thinking it. — soundofmind
